– he was a labourer -My 4x Great Grandfather. He married Elizabeth Logan on the 19, JAN 1762

Children:-

Michael (24 April 1768 died 6th June 1773)

Sarah (17 July 1774 – 26 March 1781 died Hamsteels)

George ( 25 August 1776 – 3rd August 1777 died Hamsteels)

Elizabeth (15 July 1778)

Michael (17 July 1774) – (My 3x Great Grandfather) I am unable to verify his death yet as it is not available on line

MARRIAGE: ” Michael Watson & Mary Wilkinson both of this parish were married in this church by banns this 20th day of August 1796 by me John Ashbridge, Curate. In the presence of us Jane Archer, Thomas Pallister (signed by both)

Auckland St Andrews

“This parish, which comprises the townships of St. Andrew’s Auckland, Bishop
Auckland, Pollards’s Land, Coundon Grange, part of Binchester, and part of
Newton Cap, is bounded on the north by Byer’s Green, on the north-west by
Hunwick, on the west by Escomb, on the south-west by St. Helen’s Auckland, on
the south by Heighington, on the south-east and east by Shildon, and on the
north-east by Coundon and Whitworth. The township of Middlestone, not
incorporated in any of the newly formed chapelry districts, but which formerly
constituted the north-east extremity of the parish of St. Andrew’s Auckland,
was in April 1845 annexed to the parish of Merrington. This district abounds in
coal and lime; the soil is generally well suited to the production of corn,
turnips, &c.; and the scenery is finely diversified by hill and dale, wood
and water.

“St. Andrew’s Auckland Township, in the parish of the same name, comprises 1186
acres, and its annual value is £12,74

“The village of Auckland St. Andrew, or South Church, as it is now usually called,
is situated on the river Gaunless, which is at this place crossed by a stone
bridge of one arch, and is one mile south from Bishop Auckland, and eleven
south-south-west from Durham. It contains a brewery, and manure factory,
formerly occupied as a foundry, but situated in the township of Bishop
Auckland. The Gaunless sometimes overflows its banks at this village and causes
considerable damage.”

Michael and Mary had the following children:-

Elisabeth 25 January 1797

John 28 September 1798

Jane and Michael (twins) 21 September 1808 Jane died three months later 1st December 1808.

“FORCETT, a parish in the wapentake of Gilling West. and liberty of Richmondshire; 8
miles N. of Richmond. The church is dedicated to St. Cuthbert (see Churches for
photograph); the living is a perpetual curacy in the patronage of the vicar of
Gilling. Here are the remains of a Roman entrenchment, extending East and West
of the village to Gatarby moor. Pop. 86.”

“BARFORTH, in the parish of Forcett, wapentake of
Gilling West, and liberty of Richmondshire; 2¾ miles NNW. of Forcett, 12 miles
N. of Richmond, a small township situated on the banks of the Tees. This
township, which is the property of the Earl of Harewood, comprises Old
Richmond, but nothing now remains except the ruins of an old chapel, and a few
irregularities in the neighbouring fields, which, together with the stones and
other relics that are occasionally dug up, prove it to have been a place of
considerable extent. Pop. 141.

[Description(s) edited from Langdale’s Yorkshire Dictionary (1822)
and Baines’s Directory of the County of York (1823) and other sources.]

Michael WATSON (My 2x Great Grandfather)

First son William born <1834> no trace found yet, and Joseph (<1838>) except for census in 1841.

Mary (1835),

Thomas Wilkinson (1839),

James (1841),
Cecily Margaret (1843),

Michael (1844),

Anne Elizabeth (1845),

Marmaduke (1846),

Henry (1847),

Jane Hannah (1849),

Osythe Martha (1850),

Procter George (1851),

Robert Cummings(1852).

Occupation: Pigots Directory has him as Master of Gosforth School in 1834.According to a Ward’s Durham & Northumberland Directory of 1850, Michael WATSON was secretary of the Schoolmasters
Association in Newcastle. He may be the same Michael WATSON who was master of
Gosforth Parish School, according to the same Directory. Also listed at the same school was a Miss Eliza LOWES WATSON – perhaps she may have been a sister to Michael?? It will be worth viewing the prs

1841:Michael was an enumerator for the Census. I have the printout showing his certification on the 9th day of June 1841,it has been co signed by the registrar and the Superintendent Registrar. (Michael has the best handwriting.) Page 1 for the South Gosforth schedule has him top of the list together with Cecily Margaret his wife of 8 years ,their son William
(7) daughter Mary (6) John (5), Joseph (3) and Thomas Wilkinson (2). They are living at Gosforth School House, and Michael is a schoolmaster.

During my research I had help from Michael Hoy:-

“Hi my names Michael Hoy from Gosforth and at present researching Gosforths’ history, and came across the 1842 Childrens’ Employment Commission, and in it dated may 10th 1842 is a report from Michael Watson Schoolmaster at Gosforth. The schools in the area at this time were far and few between, so this is more than likely to be the man you are looking for?”

The same Richard Welford was the Chairman of South Gosforth Local Board which was formed on 20th September 1872, the book sites Michael Watsons’ son as clerk to this same Board!

1851: Census of Gosforth has him living at school House South Gosforth, with Cecily his wife, William their son (17), Mary (16) John Kipling (15), Joseph (13) Thomas Wilkinson (11), James (9) Anne Elizabeth
Marmaduke (4) Henry (3) Jane Hannah (2) Osythe Martha (1) and Procter George (3 months).

He has also signed as an enumerator for the 1851 census on the 4th of April.

During 2006 I went
to a College Reunion at Stoke Rochford Hall, Grantham, Lincolnshire. The
weather was superb and we continued North to Lincoln to visit Pam Baille at
Lincoln Record Office to pick up some Parish Register printouts for my Cummings
Research. We then went further North and Camped just outside
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. We made daily trips into the Library and various places
like the Parish Churches and Cemetery where Michael was Superintendent. The
biggest find was his gravestone with all the family engraved on it! We had to
clear the ivy, which was growing on it, and I have been trying to restore the
image I took using Photo shop.

The weather was so good we continued up to Hadrians’
Wall and did some walking then drove home via Kendal where we visited Steve
& Elaine Wilkinson and Sheffield where we visited Lucy & Paul.

Robert Cummings Watson(My Great Grandfather) was born on the 14th July 1852 How amazing is this name!!! I sent for his birth certificate 12th August 2006.

1861 Census shows Robert (8), is living at home with his parents and siblings. There is only Francis Barbara younger than him by a year. He probably lives here until he grows up, since he is still here in the 1871 census with his elder brother James and his family.

1871 census [RG10/ 5108] for the Old Cemetery Lodge Jesmond, has James (29) and his wife Frances E (30), with their two daughters Cecily? (10) and O’sythe Martha (3). With them is living brother Robert (19),
who is unmarried and an apprentice plumber.

Susannah or Hannah as she called herself is about to meet and marry Robert Cummings Watson.
He probably drops in to the pub for a drink on his way home from work.. The
Cradle Well Inn must be close because they are both in the same enumeration
district for the census. I pulled the map to have a look while up in Newcastle
and saw how close it was.

He must have moved in with his other brother Henry soon after the ’61 census because it is here that he is living when he marries Hannah a year later. They marry on the 30th January 1872. In the Registry
office Newcastle -Upon-Tyne. He is now a fully-fledged Plumber of 23 years and she being 21 is a spinster. She has been living at Newgate Street and says her father is Robert Cameron a joiner. (This fits with the Census) Their witnesses are Francis Barrafs, George Forster and Samuel Carr.

1871 census [RG10/ 5097]. For All
Saints, Newcastle. Shows Henry (23) is living at 15, Napier Street with his wife Helen (21) and sister Frances Barbara (17) who is a visitor. Henry is an engraver and Frances is a sewing machinist.

Living at number 20, Brandling Village we have Robert Watson the plumber (28), and his wife Hannah (29), together with their three sons Robert (6), a scholar, Michael (4), and Marmaduke (2), Robert says he was born in Gosforth Northumberland and Hannah in Cockermouth Cumberland. However this does not fit with what I have found out about her family in Tanfield,

Robert is still a plumber but the family have moved to 53, Brandling South Front, ten years on and there are more additions: Michael is now 14, Marmaduke 12, Cecily Margaret only 9, Frances 6, and Hannah 1,

Another ten years on and Robert is still working aged 50. Cecily has moved out but Frances now 16 has become a dressmaker, Hannah is still only 11 and the latest addition is my Grandmother Osythe Martha who is five years old. Osythe Martha Watson born 1895 Gosforth, Bykker.

Robert died 28th December 1918 aged 68 years.

Osythe Martha (my Grandmother)

Osythe Martha Watson born 1895 Gosforth Bykker. She is
the third lady with this name alive in the same family!

By 1901 census she is 5 years old living at 8, Clayton Road, Jesmond, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.

She trained and became a nurse, probably doing her training at Newcastle General Hospital.
She nursed at Brooke hospital, Black Heath, London, during the 1914 – 1918 War. She also went to Gibraltar during this War as a nurse. In 2009 we visited Gibraltar ( aboard ‘Piano’) and I spent an afternoon at the Army Archives. I searched all the nursing records but found no trace of my grandmother. This may mean that she was not nursing at the Army Hospital but a private one. There were no records to search.

In 1928 she married James Newcombe Mortimer at Faversham 29th September when she was 33 years old and he was 47. He had been married previously to “Phyllis”. (It was Phyllis who painted the two
watercolors now with my sister in France)

First and only child Pauleen was born 1930 in Liverpool. O’sythe had gone to stay with her sister and her husband while she had the baby. All three sisters Frances, Hannah and ‘Sythe were trained nurses.

James and O’sythe lived at 7, Dulverton Road, Aikbuth.

Later moved to Ealing, 31, Ransleigh Road South Ealing next door to her friend June Dodge.
Then to 31, Brunner Road, Perrivale, Ealing.

O’sythe did private nursing at Sturry (Near Canterbury) and at Folkestone

James Newcombe had a stroke they moved to 469, Margate Road, Ramsgate. Then to Kings Avenue
Ramsgate where James died. Her final move was to 2, Morden Cottages, Wilson’s Road, Ramsgate

The CUMMINGS FH Research to date.Apologies for the pathetic layout which is taking an inordiate length of time to get right after the transfer from Windows live spaces!As usual I begin at the farthest back and continue to the present.

Great excitement October 2008 I resorted to transcribing
the Prs for St James Deeping Lincolnshire so that I could search at leisure for
Comings ancestors. Well it all paid off I have found the marriage of James (my 6 times Geat Grandfather)to Elizabeth Wait by Banns on the 1st of January 1753/4 their first child was a daughter whom they Christened Letitia she was baptised on the 9th of June 1754.

Then follows the birth of James (my 5 times great
grandfather) on the 6th February 1756/7And 2 years later the birth of second son John 27th March 1758 Unfortunately he died young 31 months and 25 days later. This also found in Deeping St James

The third child was called Mary and was christened on the 10th of August 1760.She
also died young on the 21st of November 1760.

The last child found in this parish is another John who was christened on 27 March
1763

We are now into the era of Year change. They used to work to the “ “ Calendar which
ran from March 27th? Around to March 26th? To relate it to our system entries
between December 31st and March 26th are shown with both old and new years!

[I have also found a birth of John Cumming January 1746 and his death 9 months later 5th October 1747 his parents were John and Susannah. Father John was a mason married *ear Cainbridge aged 32/52 when he died. This may give clues to the parents of James at a later date!]

James married Ann Farmery by Banns on the 2nd, June 1772 at Sleaford both of this Parish, he signed she left a mark with consent of her mother. Ann a minor. Pam Baille, a very kind soul who has helped me greatly by doing look-ups at Lincoln Record Office, found this in Sleaford Parish Register. It is highly likely that Ann was only 17 when she married since she had her mothers consent, also fits with burial Register in Sleaford she being buried 13th June 1827 age ’75’. as Ann CUMMIN

James and Ann then settled down to have a family as follows…

First Rebecca 27th November, 1772, (so Rebecca was conceived four months before the wedding!)

Next Sarah 16th August 1777.

Third Elizabeth 14th, February 1779.

Fourth Robert 28th, October 1781. Although this entry says Robert son of James and Mary Commins so needs further checking.

Fifth . Richard Cummings, (my 4 times Great Grandfather) Baptised 18th July 1784 at Sleaford son of James and Ann (Source Parish Register Sleaford). He is the direct line to me. The name is spelt “Commens”.

Sixth came Michael born 6th February 1786. Name spelt Commins.

Seventh Elizabeth
23 February 1789, I expect the first named Elizabeth died young but have not
found deaths yet.

Eighth and last of all found so far came John born 14th October 1795. The surname has now become Commings! So we are getting closer…

James a labourer, living somewhere near Grantham died aged 58 on 24th November
1842. This gives a birth of c.1784 Ann died on 13th July 1827 Sleaford, Lincolnshire

We follow Richard through since he is my direct ancestor he married Sarah and had
various children namely…

William was baptised on the 4th of July 1813 in the parish of Grantham. The vicar was
the Reverend W.P. Thackray.

Second Richard was baptised on the 29th of May 1815 Third came Elizabeth baptised on the 11th of May.

Fourth came Thomas (my 3 times Great Grandfather, baptised on the 27th of February 1820

Fifth was Sarah, baptised on the 30th of January 1822 by a new Vicar; Reverend G
Gilbert.

Sixth was James, baptised on the 17th of May 1824.

Seventh came Mary Ann, baptised on the 10th of November 1826.

And finally came Martha their eighth child who was baptised on the 13th of April
1830 by another vicar the Reverend H.W.Crick

Not only do we have neatly written Parish records but we also have the Government
Censuses I list as the sources which I used to research the family.

1841 census [HO107/625/5] for Grantham, Spittlegate shows Thomas
(20) and his younger brother James, (17) who are both Agricultural Labourers.

1841 has William (27), with his wife Sarah (27), and their children
Richard (8), William (4), and Sarah (3). They are living at Back Street
Grantham.

Williams’ brother Richard
(25) is also married -just—to Mary (20) and they have a baby daughter
Clara (1). They are living in a caravan! At Woolsthorpe.

Thomas Cummins

Thomas was born on the 27th February 1820 son of Richard and Sarah,

Christened at St Wolframs Church, Grantham. His early childhood is spent living with his parents and siblings. By the first census (’41) he is 17 living and working
with his brother Richard.

1851 [HO 107/2103] for Thomas living with his sister
Elizabeth and her family at Wood Hill Grantham. He says he is 22—but mistaken
he was really 32 and this has caused me a lot of bother. He chops and changes his age like the weather! Fortunately he reverts to a more reasonable estimate in the 1861 Census when he says he is 40.

It was a bonus to find Elizabeth’s marriage and family. She has married Robert Rear and is living at Wood Hill Grantham. They have two daughter’s Mary Ann (12), and Sarah (4).It would be nice to find that Roberts mother was also called Mary but I time is short and it is not high on my list of priorities.

Thomas met Sarah Maria during 1842. Their first child was Elizabeth Tyler Farrington born 26th January 1842, in Grantham before the marriage.

Sarah Harrington was born in Market Deeping about 1801.How she and Thomas met are a mystery, her father Richard was a coachman so may have known the local horse breaker. Whatever – they were married in Church on the 30th August 1842.

They must have then moved to Manchester since their next three children were born there, they lived at 16, Tib Lane, Manchester.

[While, looking through
the 1871 Census I found Mary daughter of Thomas aged 29( so born 1842) could this be the same person ????? Or a twin of Elizabeth. Anyway she appears to be married to Thomas Greenwood (22) Thomas Hollingworth (9) and his brother Daniel (6) are Grandsons –of which Thomas ? I haven’t quite tied them in yet]

Third was Thomas Edwin (my 2 times Great Grandfather) born 9 Oct 1846 Manchester.

Fourth child was
Alfred Richard born 12th May 1849. I have him on a later Census married.

Lastly was Sarah Maria born 31st, December 1856 but she died three
month later on 25th, February 1857.

In 1861 [RG9/2941]
taken midnight 7/8/April has Thomas (40) an Ostler, living in Manchester it looks like Great Newark St, Saint James. His wife Sarah Maria (40) daughter Elizabeth (19) is a nursemaid, Thomas Edwin (14) is a ?? Letterpress with his younger brother Alfred Richard (11)

The 1871 census [RG10/4015] was taken midnight Sunday/Monday 2/3rd June and Thomas did not have Sarah Maria with him. March 2005 I found Sarahs’ death in Reading Record Office March 1871 8a 89 Macclesfield. Sarah would have been 70 So she died just before the Census was taken. He is still living at Broughton Salford , but has moved to 12, Chapel Street. Here the other members of the house are Thomas Greenwood (22) his son-in-law who is also a groom! Mary is down as his daughter – so I conclude that she has married Thomas Greenwood and is the housekeeper, she is 29.

Charles Sonen? A gardener is a boarder with them (21), as are Thomas (9) and Daniel (6), Hollingworth both scholars who are Grandsons of Thomas . They are the children of Sarah Emma who married John Hollingworth. I have found their marriage entry in Manchester March 1861 8d 403. (I have still to find out what happened to this couple).

1881 Census [RG11/4027] for Thomas in Crumpsall Workhouse aged 59
years. He is still sane since he knows the answers to the enumerator, telling him he was born in Grantham and used to be a groom.

Alfred Richard Cummings
He deserves a mention. He was born 12th May 1849 -just before the 1851 Census in
Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. He met and married Mary Ellen Littler between
1861 and 1871.

Alfred must have married soon before the Census since between 1771 and the 1881.

1881
[RG11/3955] Alfred Richard a Carter, aged (31) is living at 1, Walker street,
Broughton, Manchester with Mary Ellen their eldest is their daughter Emily (9),
next is Tom (6), Joe (5), Elizabeth (2), and last Maria (1), Nephews Daniel and
Thomas Hollingworth have now moved from living with old Thomas to this house,
remember Thomas is in the Workhouse at the moment. 1886 Alfred and Mary have another son James Fardinand born 30th November, they are still resident in Chapel Street Broughton.

Of course it begs the question of what went on in the years between 1871 and 1881.
I must wonder…Maybe Mary and Thomas Greenwood fell on hard times and could no longer have Thomas living with them, I’ll have to look for Greenwood on the 1881,

Their son James Fardinand is yet to be born, on the 30th November 1885.

I found his birth certificate while sorting out my research notes where is has been
since 1981 when I first began the research. It was found in the Family book The
Cumyns & The Bruces. Grandfather must have ordered it while doing his own
research in some hope that it would lead back to Scotland and the family
fortune! Anyway it is so rewarding to find an obscure piece of the tree, which
confirms the research. It is similar to getting a piece of jigsaw done.

Thomas Edwin (my Great Great Grandfather) was
born 9th October 1846 Registration District, Manchester; sub-district Market
Street Manchester, County of Manchester.

Thomas Edwin ‘married’ Loretta Josephine formerly Snelham (or Snaylam)
but no certificate found yet (2007). Have tried most spellings of
Loretto/Lauretta and Snaylam/Snelham. Evidence so far is from the unreliable
Ancestral File AFN : 3SSL-OP Born 18 Mar 1875 in West Derby Liverpool and more
reliable GRO birth 1875 8b 240. died 31st July 1961 Ashford Kent. Have also
tried FreeBMD for both parties.

They too lived in Manchester, and had a fine family.

I need the 1891 Census for Thomas Edwin !! to see if he will be married yet .

First born was Annie Loretto on the 3rd of March 1894, Prestwich,
Manchester, Lancashire. Now have GRO birth for firstborn Annie Loretto which shows Thamas EdwARD as father living at 8 Rainsough Brow Rainsough Preswich. He is a fireman at Works

Second came her sister Edith born 21st March 1896, Pendleton, Salford, Lancashire. She married Louis Rosen 12th February 1916. She
died in 1931.

Third came my grandfather Edwin Gordon(my Great Grandfather) born 15th, April 1898. More of him later.

Fourth came Leah Winifred born 21st of Jun 1900.

Fifth there was Amy born 7th February, 1902 again Pendleton Salford
Lancashire.

Sixth was Elizabeth Ellen born 21st May 1904. She died 29th, November 1981.

Seventh was my uncle Stanley Joffre born 24th September 1915.

Uncle Chump says he remembers Stanley living at 45, High Street Sandwich, when he was ill with Consumption -now known as Tuberculosis. Good that an octogenarian has memories from when he was 6 years old. He also had the clipping from the local paper probably The Gazette.

Eighth came Frances 15th, April, 1919 Manchester Lancashire. She
would have been 62 when she died on 27th April 1981.

There is confusion here since there are no sources for Frances
apart from birth & Death.

However there is an Aunt Olive who I have little idea of so far could they be the same person?

Aunty June wrote “As for Aunt Olive – she was always an enigma to
me. I remember when I was quite young; she came back from Canada and brought me
some slippers, which were too small.

She was mad on swimming and used to walk down the bay very early in
the morning and used to take Peter with her (Mary’s brother who was a good
swimmer) The Twymans lived opposite Also Frances, Dad’s younger sister came to
stay once. A very devout Catholic and she knelt to say her prayers every night
by the bed (she slept with me in the back room.)

That’s all I remember about the Cummings family – in those days people didn’t travel any further than Canterbury.

I have a snap of Aunt Olive and have tried researching her, the
best I can do is the 1901 census [RG13/3744 p 24], which has the family living
in Manchester. Richard Cummings (b 1862) with wife Sarah (39), Nellie unmarried
daughter (17) at work in the mill, Richard (10), Florence (8), May (5), Elsie
(3), and Olive (1).

Edwin Gordon CUMMINGS

Born 15th April 1898 in the registration district of Salford,
Manchester.

The family were living at 43, Russell Street Pendleton, Salford.

Edwin Gordon joined the Army when he was 14 (yes he lied) and fought in the 1914 – 1918 War and survived. For this he has a war record at Kew Archives.

The Medal card of Cummings, Edwin G

Corps: Lancashire Fusiliers Regiment

No: 1958 282691

Rank: Private.

1914-1920 [WO 372/5]

He received 3 medals;

Victory Roll H/1/101B32 Page 6740

British “” “”

15 Star H/1/53B3 page 211.

He probably met Nan (Kathleen Rigden) while he was at Port Richborough at the secret army depot.

He married ‘Kath’ on the 19th March, 1924, it was Solemnized in the
Parish of St Clement in the County of Kent.
Edwin Gordon, was a bachelor aged 25, and had been living at 13, New
Street, Sandwich. Kathleen Edith was aspinster aged 25 years, and had been living at Strand Street Sandwich. The witnesses were Walter Rigden and A. Powell.

Welcome!
If you have got this far then you are interested in RIGDEN Genealogy and you
may even find that we are connected genetically. I have already placed
some documents into the public folder if you can’t access them let me
know and I’ll add you to the list of networks friends. I apologise to
those of you who are colour-blind – I have highlighted my direct line
in RED together with the
references to the folders on the Network where you can look at the originals
of various certificates. If you can spot an ancestor of your own then
I’d like to hear from you and this is probably best done as a comment
on the blogsite. For a full idea of how busy my life is you may also
like to follow the links to the ‘Piano’ blogsite. Let me also apologise
for not replying to comments promptly. If we are on the high seas we
may not have Internet access so please be patient.

Before you
read further my present quest is to find the next generation back. Most
research is on ‘simmer’ while we sell the house and prepare for
our great adventure.

I have managed
to get back as far as my 5X Great Grandfather John
RIGDEN
and his wife Rebecca as yet I have no confirmation but I suspect they
may have married about 1747 and Johns’ birth would have been 20 years
prior to this around 1720. There is no trace in Dover St Mary’s nor
Saints Peter & Paul Charlton which bordered Dover Town Parishes.Next
triedFolkestone butno
luck there either with BTs St Martins Cheriton.

Need to check
St Martins pre 1760 for birth of son John /or this Johns Marriage.

However they
certainly had 5 children all baptised at St Mary The Virgin Dover.

George 19th
July 1747,

Ann 21st
October 1750,

John 29th
April 1753
and

William 30th
March 1760.

I found marriage
at St Martins Folkestone : John
RIGDEN
& Silvester
LOWES July
13th 1778 question could be 1776 or other so unclear this would make
him 25 ish when he married. (Record office ref:Dcb/BT/64/143)

John and Sylvester’s
first child was William who was born on the 15th of April and christened
on the 24th of April 1780 at St Mary the Virgin, Dover.

The next child
my 3x Great Grandfather John
RIGDEN,
was born on the 14th of August, 1875 and christened on the 27th of September
at St Mary The Virgin, Dover. The family must have moved to Sandwich
since the story now moves to St Peter the Apostle. John grows up and
becomes a cabinetmaker probably following his fathers’ profession.
He meets and marries Elizabeth FORREST of St Clements whose father is
a butcher (and this has implications later on)

Married to
Elizabeth FORREST on 22nd May 1808. St Clements Sandwich. She was a
spinster and a minor but had the consent of her father who was a witness,
as was George TEMPLE. She was probably 20 when she married and
this would fit with her birth year and entry. The vicar was William
BUNCE (who I reckon is around 50 years old by now)

IGI Batch number
9017837 M 1808 cert 256

Incidentally
Elizabeth’s parents Mary Valder married Augustine FORREST on 20th
Oct 1785 at St Clements Church, Sandwich where he was also a churchwarden.

Augustine FORREST
was a butcher. There are Banns (number 134) St Clement’s, which are
for Augustine and Mary VALDER in 1785.

They were married
on August 8th 1785.

I suspect his
wife, Mary must have died, since he was called a widow and remarried
a widow Mary Hickman of St John Thanet at St John Thanet on 18 Oct 1808.???
This is yet to be researched Augustine died in 1840 at St Bartholomew’s
Hospital Sandwich; aged 82 years certificate number 793. His death was
registered at St Clement’s Church by BROCKMAN.

Elizabeth FORREST
was born 20th October 1788 to Augustine & Mary FORREST. Descended
from the FORREST’s and WARMAN’s whose tombs can be seen close to St
Mary’s Church. One of the FORREST’s is described on the stone
as a riding officer of St Margaret’s at Cliffe (an 18th Century customs
officer). One of the WARMAN’s was the town Beadle.

HO 107 1631
Fol 130-143 Sandwich St Peter, (see
photo in RIGDEN file)

.

John and Elizabeth had their first son
on August the 17th 1808.Augustine was christened on the 11th of September
1808. He was named after her father Augustine.

I suspect that
Augustine died on the 16th of January 1818; I have yet to check this.

I found the
above entry while at Deal Library, who have the film of the Parish Register.
I remember the day well, the 17th of July 2004, there was torrential
rain outside and the Librarians were running about like headless chickens
because the rain was coming into the library. John and Elizabeth
had their second son my
Great Great GrandfatherJohn RIGDEN named after his father
John on the 16th of January 1811; he was christened at St Clements Church.
During 1811-1830 he grew up…..meeting and marrying Eliza Frances LANGLEY
about 1835 since their first daughter Eliza was born 1836. No records
of her baptism found yet. 1838 their first son John Henry was born and
christened on the first of July 1838 by H. PREMBLE, the vicar. 1839
Piggots Directory has him living in Market Street, St Peter, Sandwich,
as a Butcher. He would be 28 by now. This is the year that Alfred William
is born 28th November. He is not christened until January of the following
year. John is still a butcher at this point, I suggest here that on
Augustine’s death (1840) the butchery passed to his daughter Elizabeth,
which maybe why John her husband became a butcher! The next milestone
is the Census of 1841.

The
following was found by Ken and Pauline Holmes, who are distant relatives
of my partner Malcolm.

“As we had
not found Alfred William RIGDEN, or his parents, we looked elsewhere.
A street atlas of Kent showed that there was both a Market Street and
a St Peter’s district in Sandwich, so we looked there and found:

Market Street,
St Peter’s Street, King Street and Galliard Street are all close together
in the centre of Sandwich. As we seemed to have found Alfred we
stopped searching at this point. The 1841 census was taken on 6 June
1841 so Alfred would not have had his second birthday when the census
included him.”

1841 census
places them (John, Eliza, John and Alfred) at Galliard Street.

John is still
the butcher.

1842 brings
Augustine Longley – easily confirmed birth by sending for certificate!
Birth April 23rd 1942, Galliard Street, Sandwich (St Peter’s). March
2005 found birth in old PR for St Peters while it was being repaired,
untidy but true! States he was born 23rd April 1842 son of John and
Eliza Frances, John was a butcher. Living at Galliard Street and
the Rector was H (Horace) PEMBLE.

Also same
year as Sarah Ann who I have found little for yet.

The fourth
child born to John and Eliza Frances, is named Augustine after his grandfathers’
wife’s father and Longley after his mother’s father James LONGLEY.

My Great Grandfather
John RIGDEN has now given up being a butcher and become a postman.

1851 (HO 107)
folio 130-143 Has him living in High Street aged 40 with his wife Eliza
(45), his son John (13) Alfred (11), and Augustine (9) a scholar.

1861 RG9/540.
has him living in High Street working as a Postman (51). His wife Eliza
Frances now 55 years old.

1871 John appears
in the Guildhall records as being buried at Boatman’s Hill aged 60.

Alfred
William RIGDEN and Family

Alfred William
RIGDEN born 28th November 1839 to John and Eliza Frances RIGDEN (nee
Langley) While living at Market Street St Peter. Found in Parish
records after much searching certificate number 950 says he was baptised
January 12th 1840 by Horace Pemble, this was copied out from the old
book which they had been using while the church was being repaired and
is much neater and more easily read.

Alfred William
married Sarah Ann Hancock on the 29th of July 1861.

Also mentioned
in the 1835 Register and Freeman’s Rolls. Found at the Guildhall Sandwich.

1863 Eliza
Ann Their first child was born – I haven’t found any Parish
register entry for her yet…

1865 Edith
Susan was born and the certificate states that Alfred was a painter
living in High Street Sandwich.

1867 Walter
RIGDEN my great Grandfather
was born. And Alfred now states he is a Plumber!

Great Aunt
Jim (Edith Susan) Her birth Certificate says she was born on the second
of January 1865 to Alfred William and Sarah Ann RIGDEN (nee Hancock)
March 2005 eventually found Parish records for St Peters while it was
being repaired, the certificate actually states that this is the case!
28th October certificate number 1534 Horace Gilder Rector ? 1881 census
has her aged 16, living at home with Father Alfred William RIGDEN and
Mother Ann,(? or was she born to Sarah Anne who has died April 20th
1875 just before the census?)brother Walter and
sister Louisa.

If her age
was correct in 1881 then she was born about 1865 ish.

Found in the
1901 Census as living in Kew Surrey V;se ???? I need to transcribe it
.

Known as ‘Aunt
Jim’ Married name was Mrs Wilf Reynolds.

Lived in Orchard
Leigh,Shere, Surrey,( where this picture was taken) which is now a major
road so nothing to be seen! After Wilf died she came to live at 50 High
Street with Eliza ( Aunt Lie).

1868 Alfred
Hancock was born but died as an infant. He was christened by C.E.B.
WATSON the curate and was buried in the family grave at St Clement’s
Church by A.M. CHICHESTER ( the vicar) on April 25th 1869.

1870 Ellen
Longley was born but she too died an infant after 3 months. She
was also buried in the family grave with her brother on May the 15th
1870 by C.E.B. Watson.

Uncle
Chump says Alfred William had a workshop in the Chain. There still
survives one of his manhole covers in High Street (see
photo in RIGDEN file)He
also had a workshop between the Barbican and the Bell, which was a warehouse
in 1906 and a yard at what is now Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant, he converted
it from a coal yard to a builders yard. Uncle Chump remembers playing
on the sand heaps. He also built shops backing from it onto Strand Street.

In old days
Coal was collected at the Barns (now Barnsend old peoples housing) they
were then sent for export down through Fisher Street to the Quay.

1871 Alfred
became a member of the Lord Warden, Walmer, Lodge of the Freemasons
and soon became a churchwarden at St Clement’s Church. He was
also active in the Cinque Ports Volunteers, becoming a sergeant gunner.
Crack shot winning a silver cup and a special badge dated 1874 for the
performance of his gun team.

1875 Mary Louise
was born and I suspect sometime soon after Sarah Ann his wife died.
(26th Aril 1875) aged 43 years and buried by A.C. HILTON.

1876 The Banns
were read for Alfred William and Ann Jane KERMODE on February 13th,
20th and 27th, page 89-certificate number 177. They married in March
1876 and probably in the Isle of Man. She was supposed to have
been in service in the area.

I have only
one picture of her, it shows her to be a severe old maid but was born
in 1852 so was only 26 when they married.

In 1880 Alfred
became a counsellor as this newspaper clipping shows.
(see photo in RIGDEN file)
He got the most number of votes and –interestingly was accompanied
by C. WATSON -the curate! Alfred William was such a fine figure that
he was provided with a

uniform and
carried a mace before the judge in the 1880 disenfranchisement hearings.
He was accompanied by 2 trumpeters who heralded the judge’s approach
in his coach.

On December
19th 1908 Ann Jane died at 73 years of age. Certificate number 510 and
the vicar was A.M. CHICHESTER again.

In 1909 he
had already met Charlotte COLEGATE and married her that year in Elham
[ PRO :2a/2277]. Charlotte was known as Aunt Lottie.

Her brother
Dick had a music hall act in London.

Next is a Bill
to Mr Hicks of Mill Wall Place for repairing a dripping tap with a washer,
cost 1s 3d on January 14th 1911.
(see photo in RIGDEN file)

Charlotte survived Alfred William who died in 1915.
She seems to have taken her share and moved away although she is known
to have visited Sandwich at least once afterwards. Alfred was
actually 76 when he died and is buried at St Clement’s Church with his
first wife Sarah Ann and two infant children who died young, Alfred
Hancock, and Ellen Longley. I recently cleared it of weeds and later
took my partner Malcolm down to clean the iron work with a wire brush
in preparation to painting it with Hammerite to deter the rust. (see photo in RIGDEN
file)

Here is more
background on :

John
Henry Rigden & Family

John Henry
was the brother of Alfred William. I found a John Henry son of John
and Eliza Frances RIGDEN of Market Street, born 5th of June 1838. His
father, John, was a butcher, which confirms all! After marrying
Jane who was born in Ash they moved to Woolwich, which is where their
first two children Ada and Anna were born. By 1871 they had moved again
to 2, Keppel Street , Stoke Damerel, Devon, since this is where their
third daughter Valentina was born according to the 1881 census.

In the 1881
Census [RG11 2214/66 p46] John RIGDON (42) a shipwright is dwelling
at 2, Keppel Street, Stoke Damerel, Devon, (change in Spelling
or Census typo?) living with his wife Jane (43) Ada (17) their daughter
who is a school teacher, she was born in Woolwich, Anna (15) also born
Woolwich is a dressmaker and Valentina (10) who was born in Devonport,
Devon, is a scholar.

The 1891 census
[RG12/1747 Folio 73 p 9 schedule 82] has John and his family living
at 2, Keppel Street, Stoke Damerel, Devon, only able to find him when
I put a sounds like tab on RIGDEN and sure enough the name REGDEN came
up. I suppose this is understandable since the West Country have
a different dialect to us Kentish folk! Anyway John is now 52, and a
Shipwright employee so he is probably working at the docks in Plymouth?
(Yet to confirm.) His wife is an unemployed schoolmistress and so too
is Anne who is now 25 years old. The youngest daughter Valentina however,
is employed… as a Schoolmistress! By the 1901 Census RG13/2114 p 32
John RIGDEN (62) is now a retired shipwright living with wife June 62
years old and their youngest daughter Valentina, (28) who is working
at home. The RIGDEN line dies out here.

And background
on the other brother:

Augustine
Longley Rigden & Family

Augustine Longley
RIGDEN was the fourth and last child of John and Eliza Frances RIGDEN,
born on April 23rd 1842, he was named Augustine after his grandfathers’
wife’s father and LONGLEY after his mothers, father James LONGLEY.

In March 2005
I found his birth in an old Parish Register for St Peters while it was
being repaired, untidy but true!

This was confirmed
by sending for certificate from the GRO, The birth certificate states
that he was born 23rd April 1842 son of John and Eliza Frances, John
was a butcher living at Galliard Street and the Rector was H (Horace)
Pemble.

Not too much
is known about his early life but with three elder siblings he was probably
kept busy. He followed his father into the family business and
became a carpenter / joiner. He must have met Georgina KYLE (I’m
guessing here) at church, or maybe a pub.

The Banns
were read on January the 12, 19 and 26th, 1868 to be married to Georgina
KYLE of this Parish Banns no 107. Banns read in St Mary’s Church 1868
by A.M.CHICHESTER who was around in St Mary’s in 1872! Their first son
Ernest A (Augustine?) was born in December 1868, next came John S (Sydney)
called Jack, born 1871. Although I knew he existed I could find no evidence
from Parish Registers or any other source until 2006 when another researcher
happened to find his marriage using Ancestry.com. I was then able to
send for the marriage certificate and prove that he was the same person
and then follow up the search with a birth certificate.

Found! At Deal
March 2006 but no camera so will have to wait for picture.

Born June
29th 1870, baptised August 28th 1870 certificate number 1590 John Sydney
son of Augustine Longley. Anyway Uncle Bardy knew of him and showed
me his (Jacks) photograph album that is how I have a picture of him.
He must have played at William BOYERs’ workshop in the Chain and probably
learnt all there was to know about photography from him. Most pictures
taken around Sandwich have him in them, since the old cameras took so
long to expose the image there was sufficient time for him to whip round
and be in the shot!

Next born is
Georgina 1872.

Then Frederick
Edward 1875,

and Sarah Louisa
16th Nov 1876,

Gertrude May
30th September 1878.

In the 1881
census living with their 6 children in the Chain St Clements, Sandwich
.He is a carpenter who helps his brother Alfred William with work.

1891 census
RG12/734 p21 has new edition of Henrietta Selina, born 1884, certificate
332, they are still at the Chain and A.M. CHICHESTER is still the vicar

but Ernest,
John S. & Georgina have left home. I have, however, found a birth
which would fit for Georgina if she married and stayed in Sandwich,
but it has the surname RIGDEN so I wonder what happened?

Now back to
my RIGDEN line

In 1867
my Great Grandfather Walter RIGDEN
was born and I have the GRO entry for Walter (see
photo in RIGDEN file) The
Parish Register entry was illusive – it turned out that while restoration
had been going on in St Peters they had used another! So I now have
certificate number 1575, which shows him to have been christened on
the 29th of September 1867 by Henry MAUGHAM the curate.

Walter also
joins the family trade and begins work helping his father as a plumber
For the 1881 census his father must have answered the enumerator since
when asked occupation Alfred William must have said “Master Plumber
1 man and 1 boy”.

By 1891 Walter
is 23 years old and a ‘House Decorator’. The family have developed
into an all round business.

Walter met
Mary BAKER sometime prior to 1894, since this was when the banns were
read for their marriage. (On May 5th, 12th and 19th by George
S?nners and A. M. CHICHESTER. ) A certificate was sent to Worth so the
banns must have been read in Mary’s church too.

The Teddy Bear (see photo in RIGDEN
file) is
still around. Aunty Marys’ family have it.

They were married
on 3rd, June 1895, in Worth Parish Church. It was witnessed by Mary’s
father Ebenezer BAKER and either her brother or her uncle since they
were both alive and called George! Walter was a painter aged 29 at the
time, Mary did not work. It is difficult to surmise whether Alfred William
was present or not since he has not been written as deceased in the
fathers place on the certificate so he may have been there. The
quandary lies in his profession; he has called himself a plumber all
these years and now calls himself a ‘Painter’!

Mary’s father
Ebeneeza BAKER was a Market Gardener in Worth and the family farm is
still there. They lived in ‘Prospect House’ and possibly brought
produce into the Town on Market Day -then on a Wednesday.

(see photo
in RIGDEN file) I
emailed this photo to Uncle Chump and Bardy to chew over and here is
their reply

“A little late with this but not much to offer anyway. That is Charlotte
(Aunt Lotte) sitting but that is the only thing that is certain. Walter
RIGDEN there looks-say 50 which puts it roughly about the time of AWR`
s demise then such guesswork makes Lotte in her 40`s but then they looked
old when young in those days if you get what I mean.”

The next page
has a postcard from Walters’ wife Mary to her sister Louisa who appears
to be coming to stay with them.
(see photo in RIGDEN file)

Their first
daughter Dorothy Mary was born 17th March 1896, she was my Aunt Pat.
She was christened at St Clement’s Church on the 23rd May 1896, Whitsun
eve by A.M. CHICHESTER. Certificate number 602.

She worked
at Minster as a Master Tailor / seamstress. She walked to work every
day (7-10 miles). She was married briefly as Mrs LONG.

She lived in
Church Street St Clements, while working for Lady Broshane as a tailor.
Sometime around 1910 she placed a new weather vane on St Peters Church
as recorded by the local Newspaper.

Ashe also lived
in Upper Deal during her retirement and still did real patchwork using
scraps of fabric and using an embroidery stitch to join them.

(see photo
in RIGDEN file) This
is Aunt Pat having a jar over at the Blazing Donkey, Nr Eastry. It was
taken sometime around 1978.

Next came my
paternal grandmother Kathleen
Edith RIGDEN,
born on the 25th September 1898,
and finally my Aunt Stella Amelia Louise born 2nd August,
1903. She was probably named after Amelia BAKER, Mary’s mother. All
three ‘gels’ were born at 45, High Street.(see photo in RIGDEN
file) This
is Nan @ Sandwich (‘Kath’) with her two sisters; they must have
been about 16 years old?

Walter inherited
the family business when his father died but Uncle Chump and Uncle Bardy
reckon that it went downhill fast (what reasons ??) Grave inscription
says born 1869, Died 1955.

(see photo
in RIGDEN file)This
is Nan @ Sandwich with me on her knee when I was 2 or 3 years old. (Much
more to write of Nan’s life.)

Kathleen married
Edwin Gordon CUMMINGS. This was after the war when he was probably working
down at port Richborough.

Married Kath
on 19th March 1924, Solemnized in the Parish of St Clement in the County
Of Kent. He was a bachelor aged 25, and had been living at 13,
New Street, Sandwich. She was a spinster aged 25 years, and had
been living at Strand Street Sandwich. The witnesses were Walter
RIGDEN and A. POWELL.

They then had
three children June, Edwin and Malcolm
John CUMMINGS.
This is my father.

Edwin Gordon
worked for the East Kent Bus Company. Soon after the last child was
born he left home. All traces of him were expunged and I only have 2
pictures of him and a few certificates.
(see photo in RIGDEN file)

He returned to Sandwich soon after Mum and dad were married and I was
a little girl although I don’t remember, he came to the Garden gate
when we lived at "Estonore" Stonar, Ramsgate Road Sandwich,
Kent. He wanted to see his Grandchildren.

When he died,
dad (Malcolm James) went to Ashford to make arrangements for the burial.
He came back with very little as memories, a few Driving licenses and
a book by M.E.Cumming – Bruce called The Bruce’s and the Cummings this
is what originally set me on the Family History trail. For the CUMMINGS
Blog try another space – coming soon!

Welcome!
If you have got this far then you are interested in MORTIMER Genealogy and you
may even find that we are connected genetically. I have already placed some
documents into the public folder if you can’t access them let me know and I’ll
add you to the list of networks friends. I apologise to those of you who are
colour-blind – I have highlighted my direct line in RED
together with the references to the folders on the Network where you can look
at the originals of various certificates. If you can spot an ancestor of your
own then I’d like to hear from you and this is probably best done as a comment
on the blogsite. For a full idea of how busy my life is you may also like to
follow the links to the ‘Piano’ blogsite. Let me also apologise for not replying
to comments promptly. If we are on the high seas we may not have Internet
access so please be patient.

Before you read further I have got as far back as I am able between the start and my 6X Great Grandfather George b 1668 I only have transcribed and searchable evidence from the Hugh Wallis site. I expect in another ten or so years time when more has been uploaded I will have to redo this earliest section.

I begin then with The Earliest MORTIMER who I have yet to find born in the early 1500’s

I suspect he had the following children:

Robert b 5th October 1583

Walter b c May 1585

Joan b 17 June 1589

Thomas b 31 October 1590

Gyles b 4th April 1592

Joan b 22 April 1593

Nathanaell b 22 April 1596 This is my 8 X Great Grandfather !

Nathanaell married Wilmot Narles 14th May 1633 and they had the following children Marie (b12Jan 1632), Wilmote ( b 12 May 1633),

George Married Wilmot 14th May 1667 only hadGeorge Mortimer. He will be my 6 x
Great Grandfather!

With the help of Daniel Morgan I have managed to find the
baptism of George (14th April 1668 ) with the evidence that his father was also called George! His
subsequent marriage to Ann(a) Soper on the 20th October 1698 which
fits nicely with the birth of their first child in 1699

George and Ann have 5 children. The first born George
(I presume) died in infancy, born 28th September 1699 and died 19th November
1699 both at Dunsford , Devon.
Next there is a christening for George (second) 26th December 1700
Dunsford.
John the third child is born 18th March 1702/3, and brotherRichard
(my 5 Times Great Grandfather) born 3rd January 1705/6 with the youngest
Henry born 14th March 1707/8 –he died 13th June 1711 Dunsford.

This Richard is my line.Richard MORTIMER son of George MORTIMER and Anna marries Anne SYRCOMBE
daughter of Richard SYRCOMBE on the 5th May 1731, at Dunsford. Anne SYRCOMBE is
one of Daniel MORGAN’s forebears so we have linked up and I am his cousin 5th
removed!
(Having mentioned him twice now I should tell you that Daniel is the on – line
Parish Clerk for the Dunsford area and has details posted on Genuki)

Richard and Ann have one son and four daughters, but
only three are still alive at his death.
He dies around 1774 since his will is
proved then and he is followed by his wife Ann ( my 5x great grandmother) who
leaves a will in 1778
1774. Richard MORTIMER of Dunsford, 20th Nov 1768
He gives his son George the Dunsford Mills and the Marshes adjoining, “being
part of court,” charged with 20s per annum to “my three daughters”
To Ann wife of said George, £1 1s.
To daughters Elizabeth and Ann MORTIMER, £70 each and to daughter Mary, wife of
John CONNETT, £20, and one guinea to her husband.
Wife Ann to have life interest both in the mill and messuages. She is
residuary legatee and sole executrix
Proved 29th July 1774.

This gives me the names of his children and where they have
married their married names. The George who benefits here is my direct line– he gets Dunsford Mill which will be worth looking into further. Interestingly he also has another daughter Susannah who is born in 1745 – too late to benefit from Georges will
Ann dies later that year This gives me the children Elizabeth, Ann & Mary, plus George who must have died and his wife Anne. Next Richards wife Ann dies a few months later and leave articles to her children and their families. This now tells me who the girls are married to and yes they fit with what I have already researched!1778. Ann Mortimer of Dunsford, 3rd Feb 1778.
To Eliab (Elizabeth) wife of James CONNETT, £40, and one guinea, instead of a
gold ring, six silver teaspoons and all the “chainea” .
To daughter Mary wife of John CONNETT £40 to daughter – in – law Ann MORTIMER
£1.1s
To George and Ann CONNETT she gives inter aliis, “my best looking glass and my
new prayer book with all the tea dishes saucers and basons belonging to making
of tea, except the spoons” Her son George being dead, she gives the
residue of the lease of Dunsford Mills to her daughter in law Ann MORTIMER,
with reversion, for the 99 years, terminable on the death of brother John
MORTIMER” to George, John, Elizabeth, and Richard, Children of deceased son
George
Proved 3rd July 1778
Note refer to July 29th, 1774, ante.
Need to find out if this Susannah is a new person wife of John MORTIMER and if
John MORTIMER here is Richards brother too :
1766. Admon to the effect of Susannah MORTIMER of Dunsford, granted to John
MORTIMER her husband July 15th 1766

Map of Ide available on Genuki.
Crediton
Holy Cross Church notes and image are on Genuki

I now have a transcription of the Parish Record for the birth of “George MORTIMER born 14th February 1768 Dunsford ”
Also have the 1841 Census for Pynes Farm Ide where he is living with Richard
aged <25> ish. I wonder what the relationship between them is?
Have found evidence of George MORTIMER of Crediton living at Tedburn Saint Mary
with his wife Elizabeth. They have a large family. John born 24th April
1794 Have found a transcription of his baptism at Tedburn Saint Mary and a
brother George born 14th July 1795 however I suspect that he died young (but no
death evidence yet) since the next son they have has also been called George
which I believe is my line!
Next is a daughter Eliza born 15th November 1796 I think she also died young.
Daughter Mary was born 10th October 1798 then came Elizabeth born 14th August
1800, Mary Ann born 10th August 1802, Harriet born 12th June 1804 and Charlotte
born 20th May 1806. The next son is also named George to replace the one, which
died, and I believe that he is my direct ancestor; he was born on the 3rd
August 1808. I have an image from the Parish Record but he is too young
for the GRO certificate. The last son Richard is born 18th September
1810.
By Harriet’s wedding they must all have moved to Ide since she is married at
the Parish Church ?? I need to check.
DEATH: 1851 Ide Devon, see Will, which put him as 84 years old when he
died.

This is the last Will and Testament of me George MORTIMER of Ide in the County
of Deven [sic] yeoman. I give and devise to my son John MORTIMER all that
messuage farm and lands situate in the parishes of Holcombe Burnell and
Dunsford in the County of Devon called or commonly known by the name of
Storidge to hold the same unto my said son John MORTIMER his heirs and assigns
for ever. I also give to my said son John MORTIMER the sum of three
hundred pounds. I give to my son George MORTIMER the sum of one hundred
pounds. I give to my daughter Eliza the wife of Richard LEE the sum of
one hundred pounds. I give to my daughter Harriet Northcott widow the sum
of one hundred pounds. I give to my daughter Charlotte the wife of Thomas
Lee the sum of one hundred pounds. I give to my grandson Richard Lee now
living with me the sum of two hundred pounds to be paid by my executor when he
attains the age of twenty-four years but without any interest in the meantime
and if he die before attaining that age then the said legacy shall sink into my
residuary estate.
I give to Francis LEE the father of the said Richard LEE the sum of ten
pounds. And I direct that all the said several legacies except the said
legacy to Richard LEE shall be paid within twelve months from my decease.

I give to each of my grandchildren George Mortimer LEE, Francis LEE. Thomas LEE
and Charlotte LEE the children of my daughter Mary Ann LEE the sum of nineteen
guineas to be paid to them when and as they shall respectively attain the age
of twenty one years and in case any or either of them shall die under the said
age his or her legacy shall sink into my residuary estate. All my farm
and lands called Ford and Wayhouse in Holcombe Burnell aforesaid and all the
rest residue and remainder of my messuages lands hereditaments and real and
personal estate of what nature and kind I give devise and bequeath unto my son
Richard MORTIMER his heirs executors administrators and assigns for his and
their own benefit subject to the payment of my debts and funeral and
testamentary expences. I also give and devise to him all messuages and
hereditaments
and estates in mortgage to me or vested in me as trustee for any person
whomsoever to hold the same to my said son Richard MORTIMER and his heirs upon
the trusts and for the purposes to which the same are respectively
liable.
And I hereby declare that the provision hereby made for my said children and
that issue and what I have already during my life supplied to them shall be
deemed and taken in full and in lieu of all and every claim and interest to
which they might be respectively entitled under the Bond or Settlement made on
my marriage with their mother my late wife.
And lastly I appoint my said son the said Richard Mortimer sole executor of
this my Will hereby revoking all former Wills by me at any time made. In
witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the fourth day of August
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty.

George MORTIMER.

Signed sealed published and declared by the said George MORTIMER as and for his
last Will and Testament in the presence of us present together at the same time
who in the presence of the said testator and of each other have hereto
subscribed our names as witnesses. William Simpson, T? (J?) E Drake?
Proved at London 6th November 1851 before the Judge by the oath of Richard
MORTIMER the son the sole executor to whom admon was granted having been first
sworn by Comon duly to administer

Transcribed for me from a downloaded copy by Dave Woolven,
HOLCOMBE BURNELL notes and image are found on Genuki

My Great Great Grandfather George MORTIMER was born in Tedburn St Mary’s parish, Devon in 1808 to George of Crediton and Mary his wife.
His marriage, to Elizabeth NEWCOMBE on 1st May 1839, was at the Parish Church
of Samford Courtney. Her father Simon NEWCOMBE was present together with
Georges’ Father George both of whom were Yeomen.
Elizabeth must have been about twenty years old.
I next pick them up in the 1841 Census for Dunsford district 1. See Network Folder 1841. They are living at Meadhay and with them Elizabeth’s mother Mary NEWCOMBE (50) and various other farm workers.

Their first son (my Great Grandfather)George Newcombe MORTIMER has just
been born (aged 1 here)
Mary Legge Mortimer is born later this year, she is probably named after Georges mother.Next is Richard born 1844, then Ann Elizabeth born 1846, John 1848, and
Emma born October 1849.

The 1851 Census has George the Yeoman living at Uton Barton
with his wife and family, which so far consists of George Newcombe (1840) Mary
Legge (1841), Richard, 7 (1844), Elizabeth Ann,5 (1846), John
3, (1848), and Emma 6 months (Oct 1849). Mary NEWCOMBE is living with
them so her husband must be dead…? Needs to be checked. and two servants Maria
TUCKER (23), born Cheriton Fitzpaine, Devon) and Charlotte WESTCOTTE (17 born
Dunsford Devon.)
Also had Four agricultural servants, William WORRISH (25 Colebrook Devon),
George PARKER (22 Exeter Devon), James MARTIN (18 Crediton, Devon) and Francis
SEARLE .

Elizabeth NEWCOMBE Birth Pr Marriage of my Great Great GrandfatherGeorge to
Elizabeth NEWCOMBE May 1st 1839Pr is available on request as is the GRO cert for George Newcombe MORTIMER-
my Great Grandfather. and the 1841 for this George and wife Elizabeth GRO cert for Mary Legge MORTIMER b 1841. 1851 for George and Elizabeth Uton Barton, Devon.

1861 Census, (RG9/1473) tells me that my Great Grandfather George Newcombe MORTIMER is now a farmer of 250 acres employing 6, labourers and 3 boys. Living at Uton Barton, Crediton, Devon, England. He has also increased his family. William Henry is now 8 (), Emma 6,(), Robert Legge 5,(), Louisa 3,(). Mary Newcombe is quite
happy still living with them. However they also have Nephews George Richard, 11
(), Samuel Archer,9(), and niece Elizabeth Archer 7,(). They have 5 servants
too. They have three farm servants Walter ANSTY (20) born 1841 Crediton, James
BULLEY (20) born 1841 Crediton and John FIELDING (13)
born, Crediton 1848 , Other servants are Ann SETTER (17) House maid born
Crediton 1844 and Mary WELLACOTTE (28) the cook, born Kings Nympton 1833.
GRO Cert 1851 Death of George MORTIMER St Thomas Devon 84 years old.

1853 GRO Birth Samuel Archer MORTIMER, Crediton, Devon.

1855 GRO birth Elizabeth Archer MORTIMER Crediton, Devon.

1861 Census for George & Elizabeth MORTIMER

1864 GRO Marriage for Thomas Mortimer & Mary Legge Mortimer.

Here is some background on Mary Legge MORTIMER

Mary Legge MORTIMER was baptised October 13th 1841,
Dunsford Devon, England. Her GRO birth Certificate confirms all. GRO has birth
Registered 1841 Sept 10, 1942 St Thomas. I also have the Parish Register film
Certificate 856 in brackets at the side Meadhay – which fits perfectly!

1861 census Mary is living at home with her family and
says she is 18 years old, she is not out working although may be helping out on
the farm… This is reconciled with the date of the census. She married in 1864 to Thomas Mortimer

( he shares the same Grandmother so a cousin definitely) They married at the
Parish Church Crediton Devon. He was a bachelor, of full age and a yeoman from
Kenn. His father was John Mortimer who was also a yeoman. Mary Legge was a spinster of full age living
at Uton Barton, her father was present , George, also a yeoman. The witnesses were George Mortimer, George
Newcombe Mortimer and Annie Mortimer (probably Ann Elizabeth her sister.)

1871 census has her as wife to Thomas MORTIMER (35). They are at
Brown’s Farm, Kenn. Thomas is a farmer of 328 acres employing 6 men and 2 boys.
He was born at Dunsford. Living with them are son George (6) and daughters Mary
E (4), Edith (3), and Alice (1). Mary Newcombe is visiting them and is down as
grandmother presumably to Thomas! But she is also Mary’s grandmother!

Quite recently I have found descendants of Mary and Thomas namely Beryl Whidden (nee MORTIMER). I hope soon to be able to fill in this branch of the tree with help from that side of the family. After meeting Beryl (January 2009 I now have a picture of Mary and
Thomas on their 60th Wedding Anniversary at Brown’s Farm – with all
their children and grandchildren!
1871 Census for George & Elizabeth Mortimer. is available on request.

The 1871 Census for Uton Barton Devon has George (says he was born at
Crediton) and Elizabeth living with them are their sons George Newcombe (30),
and Richard (26), John (23), William Henry (18) farmers son, Robert Legge
(10), George R (Richard?) nephew (20)? Charlotte NORTON a dairy maid aged 18
?Ellen PAPMORE ? A domestic servant aged 18 and James??? 12 a farm servant. All
difficult to read from the original.On 15th August 1879 my Grandfather James Newcombe MORTIMER was born and Registered at St Thomas Alphington, Dunsford, Devon.

1881 Census Rg11 2146/7 page 8

For George Newcombe MORTIMER & Family.

Meadhay, Dunsford, Devon.is availableBy 1881 My Great Grandfather George Newcombe
MORTIMER has taken over the farm from his father he is Head of
household Farm (Meadhay) of 150 Acres employing 3 labourers and 1 boy.
The census lists George and his wife Jane living at Meadhay, Dunsford, with
their children
Florence( 5),
George Pearce (4),
Mabel Jane (3),James Newcombe (1) and
Elizabeth Legge (10 weeks)

They employ three labourers and 1 boy. Indoors, Kathleen BABBAGE is a boarder 20, years old and is the governess, she was born in Cornwall. Sarah J. SERCOMBE is their General domestic servant. She is 17 years old and was born in Dunsford.
Finally there is William EWENS 11, years old born in Dunsford who is a farm servant.
Source Information:
Dwelling
Meadhay
Census Place Dunsford, Devon, England
Family History Lib 134517
PRO Ref RG11
Piece/Folio 2146/7
Page 8
1891 Census for Alphington, Matford Barton.isavailable.
Here we have my Great Grandfather George Newcombe MORTIMER (49), head of the
house , a farmer and with him Jane (39), his wife, their sons George Pierce
(14), James (11), and daughters, Florence (15), Mabel Jane (13), Elizabeth (9), Constance Rose (3).
With such a large family and a farm to run it’s no wonder they needed
servants. Jane had two, Jessie FANT who was a domestic Cook and Ann DAVEY a
domestic housemaid.
At this point it is worth looking at the actual Census. The two Mills on either side of the farm. Matford Mill above has the BABBAGE family, which is so coincidental with Kathleen BABBAGE who was a servant in the 1881 Census…..
1891 Census for Brown Farm Kenn.is available.
Thomas is now 56, and running the farm. With him are his wife Mary
Legge now 47, their sons George (26), Fred (18), and James (8), and their
daughters Edith (22), Alice (20), Bertha (11), . They have a farmer visiting
them on the night of the census a John DURRANT (27), and a farm servant Charles
NEIL (18).

1901 census for Church Road.-is available.
Now at 60 George Newcombe is a retired farmer and not living on the farm. His
wife Jane is still only 45, with them are their daughters Mabel (20), who is a
shop assistant, Elizabeth Legge (16), an apprentice B/ bookkeeper? And Constance
Rose (12) at home. My mother remembers‘Aunt Connie’ Their son James R which I think should read N for Newcombe !(19) is an engineer. This fits with what my mother told me about her father. All the children were born in Dunsford or Alphington; this is an administrative area for GRO Devon.

GRO Marriage for James Newcombe MORTIMER
and O’sythe Martha WATSON.isavailable.

James Newcombe Mortimer married O’sythe Martha WATSON on 29th September when
she was 33 years old and he was 47. He had been married previously to Phyllis.
That is all I know of her apart from two watercolours, which she painted and
are my only heirlooms. Maybe she died and left him a widower?
James and O’sythe were married in 1928 at Faversham Parish Church. At first they
were living at 79, Ealing Road, Ealing at the time of Marriage.

Their first and only child Pauleen was born 1930 in Liverpool because O’sythe’s
sister Fanny was a midwife. They all lived at 7, Dulverton Road, Aikbuth.
Later moved to Ealing, 31 Ransleigh Road South Ealing next door to Pauleens’
friend June DODGE. Then to 31, Brunner Road Perrivale Ealing.
James Newcombe had a stroke they moved to 469, Margate Road Ramsgate.
Then to Kings Avenue Ramsgate where James died. Final move for my Nan was
to 2, Morden Cottages Wilson’s Road Ramsgate.

For more on my WATSON branch see the WATSON blog and associated pictures on the
network ! but don’t look yet I haven’t got that far !!

Pauleen married my father Malcolm John (‘Jim’) CUMMINGS –
and so this line of MORTIMER s ended.